Posted by Dr. Bob on August 23, 2001, at 18:08:37
In reply to Re: Duty to Rescue » susan C, posted by akc on August 23, 2001, at 13:06:36
> The arguement is over wether anybody can offer assistance to someone who is feeling suicidal? Do you need to be a "professional?"
Thanks... Maybe one way to look at this is that it depends on the type of assistance. *Treatment* is usually better coming from a professional. But one doesn't have to be a professional to provide *support*. Which is what Psycho-Babble's all about, after all. I thought SalArmy4me put it nicely when he said you don't need a license to care:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010809/msgs/74304.html
If someone's suicidal, the stakes are higher, but I think the same principles apply.
> I am nowhere qualified to help someone who is actively suicidal. I look back to the evening that I was suicidal myself. I went to an AA meeting. I shared -- I told those folks I was suicidal. Most ignored it. A few didn't. Of those few, I had a few try to counsel me -- as in don't take my meds (true oldtimers, don't put any pills in your body), etc. Only one person tried to get me to see I needed to go to the hospital. What I needed was someone who knew how to handle a suicidal person to speak with me. The person trying to get me to the hospital had the right idea.One thing that's nice about support groups is that different people will try to help in different ways, so you have different options to consider.
Maybe someone else (another old-timer?) would've felt more supported by the no-pill approach. If there's a diversity of perspectives, there's more likely to be one that's helpful.
> So how will I "rescue" a person who is suicidal? I believe my duty with someone who is actively suicidal is simple -- I have to do anything I can to get that person to talk to someone who has the training to handle that or to get that person to go to an ER.
And by doing that, you're "offering assistance" to them. In a perfectly appropriate way. :-)
Bob
poster:Dr. Bob
thread:1753
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20010718/msgs/1779.html